What Makes Us Stronger
by symboloflegacy
Summary: Chat Noir is dead and Paris has lost his beloved hero. Adrien Agreste is dead and Marinette has lost her soulmate. What will happen when a new villain arrives to the city with the name of Chat Blanc? Will Ladybug be able to bring her lover and partner back?
1. No flame burns forever

Hey y'all.

This is my first fanfic for the MLB fandom and was originally published in AO3. I'll post the first episodes today and then update the story as it is published on AO3.

Disclaimer: English isn't my first language and this story was unbeta'ed. All errors and mistakes are my own.

Comments are super welcome.

Enjoy!

(find me on Tumblr as mitzwrites :))

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The bright sun coming through the half drawn curtain hit her face. With a grunt, she opened her eyes and buried her face into her pillow. The fleeting sound of the little god who hadn't left her side for days made Marinette look up. The contagious smile wasn't on her face, and instead, Tikki wore a solemn expression. Today was the fifth anniversary of Marinette's becoming Ladybug. Today was the second anniversary of the day she and Chat decided to reveal themselves, sealing their new discovery with a sweet kiss at the top of the Eiffel Tower. But today was also the seventh day of Chat's death.

 _Seven days before:_

 _"My lady, what if we stay home? We both know you deserve a break from your latest projects." Adrien said, taking her slim hand in his and kissing her knuckles, "I can cook for you or we can go out. Anything you want."_

 _"I can't Chaton. I have yet to finish some work," she nodded at the mannequin at the corner of their small apartment. She hadn't told him yet, but Marinette was organizing a small surprise for Adrien. Their anniversary was just some days away, and since they couldn't celebrate his birthday, she thought it was the perfect opportunity for a lovely date at the top of Notredamn. So her work consisted mostly on finishing her dress, adding some details and what not -which she told him it had been a encargo from one of her friends-. "And besides, didn't Gabriel return from Milan last night?"_

 _"Ugh, don't even mention it, princess. I just..." Adrien trailed off. He wanted to tell his father that he will quit modeling and go to College like any other young man of his age, but he was worried about his reaction. To say that Gabriel would be disappointed, if not angry, was an understatement. "I already know what he will say, so why can't I save it?"_

 _"Because you promised, Adrien! And what was that 'cat's honor' thing?" She teased him, earning a hit with a pillow from him. "Fine, but you better have ready a bottle of wine for when I get back. This is gonna be a long day, bugaboo."_

She looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot red from crying. She hadn't stopped since that night, when her world seemed to crumble and fall down, when she lost her partner, her best friend, her soulmate. It pained her to relieve the events from that day, and she spent hours trying to figure out how to bring him back, if there was only a way. Her parents were concerned about her, calling her to know how she was doing. To the world, she had lost her boyfriend, Adrien Agreste, during the commotion caused by the akuma. But in private, it was the image of a lifeless Chat Noir what haunted her dreams.

"Have you felt him, Tikki?" Marinette asked the little god, with less and less hope in her voice as the days passed. Since they complemented each other, Tikki and Plagg could sense each other, and their bond seemed to grow each day as the love of their chosens got stronger with time. The small bug shook her head, and quietly, she flight to the other side of the room.

The phone rang and tiredly, Marinette picked up, but then she remained frozen in the spot, feeling her legs about to give in. It couldn't be..

He was... "...Y-yes?

"Hello, Puurrincess."


	2. Bury my heart next to yours

"A-Adrien? Is that you?" She asked, afraid of the answer, but no word came from the other side of the phone. Her blood ran cold and she had to lean against the wall to hold her body up. "Please, answer me!" Her tone carried tints of desperation. It was his voice, Marinette could recognize it among a crowd of people. The melodious ring, and the way he purred his favorite nickname was enough to almost –almost- believe that her love was somehow back.

Tikki flight by her side and sat down upon her shoulder, caressing her cheek with her tiny hands. She didn't say a thing, but as the phone died on the other side, Tikki could sense Plagg, faintly, but the beat of his heart was there, along with her own. "Marinette, I..." the young woman let the phone fall down and she buried her face in hands. Tikki didn't have the courage to tell her that the miraculous of the black cat was active again, but trapped inside an obscure bubble of dark magic.

 _2 months ago_

 _"Do you think we could ever catch him?" His question took her by surprise. It was a mutual agreement not to talk about their superhero lives when they were in their civilian personas, but Hawkmoth had been more active than ever. The akumas were more dangerous and ferocious, and the young couple got more than just a few bruises after each battle._

 _Marinette looked around. The park was unusually empty at that hour. The streets appeared almost abandoned, and the air was heavy, setting a feeling of distress in their chests, something that only the miraculous holders could detect, almost as if the world itself was trying to tell them something. Wayzz and Master Fu had warned them about the increasing dark energy coming from Nooroo. They could not longer ignore the feeling that something terribly devious will happen. Hawkmoth was getting stronger, and they knew their final battle will come soon._

 _"I thought this would be our free day, Minou," Marinette smiled, though it felt forced. His furrowed brow was a enough of a sign to know that Adrien was being serious. She leaned up and kissed sweetly his lips, trying to ease away his worries. His arms went around her small waist, and when they broke the kiss, Adrien hid his face on the crook of her neck. It might have been a stupid thought, but every time they kissed, every time he touched her, it felt like it was the last time. "I'm sorry, Princess," his words came out muffled against the skin of her neck._

 _"Hey, look at me," Marinette took his face on her hands, staring up at him with a reassuring smile, "I promise you something, it doesn't matter what it takes, doesn't matter what happens next, we'll go through everything together, alright?"_

 _"Yeah, together."_

Later that night, when the sobs finally subsided and her eyes were almost dry, Marinette stood up by the window. "Are you sure?" Her little companion asked, and she only nodded, releasing a long sigh. "Tikki, spots on."

The room filled with a bright, pink light. Ladybug took over Marinette after a week of hiding in solitude. With her yoyo, she grabbed the edge of the nearest building and jumped out the window. The chilly breeze of the night pierced her skin, as a cold reminder of what she had lost. She wouldn't cry, not this time, not when she had a mission in mind. She would mourn the missing memories of her partner in private, not in the middle of the cold Parisian night.

It didn't take long to reach her destination, landing on the balcony of the mansion that she got to know as well as her own house. Quietly, she sneaked into the room.

The huge office was a mess, with scattered books and broken glasses over the floor, and behind the desk, a man with a blank expression staring at the painting of his deceased wife and son.

"How could you?" Ladybug asked, approaching the desk. The man didn't seem to hear her, or simply wasn't interested in giving her an answer. The old and stoic Gabriel Agreste, even then, refused to be vulnerable in front of her. Slamming her fist down the desk, she repeated her question, louder this time, "How could you? I knew you were vile, but really, Gabriel? Are you going to use your own son's death against me? That's low, even for you."

The last part of her statement shook something inside of him, making him turn around to give her a look of indignation and pain. "I lost my wife first and then my son. I lost everyone I ever loved, and you dare to come here, accusing me of such things?" Gabriel raised up, walking around the desk to face her, with his hands clenched by his sides, and dark eyes that, if she hadn't faced before, would have her shivering. "I loved my son more than anything, and what did was with the intention to protect him. Tell me, Marinette, wouldn't you have sacrificed everything in you hands for his well-being?"

Tears shone in his eyes, and even with all the hatred that she felt towards him, Ladybug could witness the pain of the father on Gabriel's face, unmasked. He was a man before a villain, and yet, his hunger for power maimed everything he loved. And as if he could read her mind, he added, "Adrien's blood is in my hands, but I can assure you that any intention that I had to harm you in any way, died with my son."

Almost defeated, Ladybug turned around, looking at the painting of Adrien and his mother. "I got a call this morning," she started, unsure of why she did feel the need to tell him, "It was his voice, Gabriel. I'm sure it was him."

The sound of a glass breaking in pieces startled her. The color seemed to drain from his face . His hands trembled and he looked like he was about to pass out. "That's impossible. I would have known... I would've seen it."

"What do you mean?" He fumbled through the pile of books that were scattered around the desk until he found it. Nervously, he took a seat, inviting her to do the same. "Did the Great Guardian tell you what happens when one of the holders combines their miraculous with another's?"


	3. Interlude I: The truth works two ways

The Agreste Manor hadn't always been the cold, somber fort that was now. There had been life, and peace and happiness once. There had been love. There had lived a woman who would have given everything to see a smile on the faces of the two most important people in her life. The sound of Cecilia's laugh had filled the halls once.

Cecilia was one of her kind. Her sweet, warm smile and bright green eyes, was everything one needed to know that things would be alright. She had an untamed spirit, wild and free, just like someone who lived most of her life in the countryside. Cecilia was a woman who enjoyed the simple things in life, but everything changed when she met him.

They fell in love.

They get married.

They had a child.

They were happy. Until they weren't.

He worked day and night to give them everything they wanted. He made a name for himself, built an empire and became a powerful and prestigious man. He wanted more, but "more" was never good enough for him.

Cecilia, on the other side, wanted none of that. She wanted a small house with a big yard, so her son could run free and happy. She wanted to fall asleep and wake up in his arms, and detested the idea of being away from him. As a woman who came from a big family, she wanted the same for her son. Cecilia wanted to give all the love she had and not to pose like a model mother and wife.

(That had never been his intention to begin with, but he told her "We're exceptional now, my dear," so she believed him).

But, as most things in life, nothing happened the way they wanted.

It had become a tradition for Cecilia to make an annual trip on her own to different places, and that year, she chose China. As of late, she had found harder and harder to bear the situation at home. She loved her husband, and loved her son even more, but even the good souls like her needed a break.

Gabriel wasn't his usual self. He put a mask and became the rigid Gabriel Agreste that the media talked about. He wasn't the twenty something man she met fifteen years ago.

They fought before she left. Their recent arguments were for the same reason. "Your son needs you, Gabriel! And so do I!" She yelled at him, stubbornly refusing to accept his absence on Adrien's 15th birthday. "I know, but as you can see, the new line is absorbing all of my time. I wish you could understand that.-" She cut him off when a sarcastic chuckle slipped out her lips, "And I wish you could see that you're going to regret this one day, Gabriel."

They didn't notice the shadow that retired quickly from the closed door of Gabriel's office. Adrien had heard everything, just like he had heard their previous fights. His innocent mind wondered if he was the cause of their problems. He thought that maybe if he accepted a more permanent position as his father's star model, their fights would stop.

(And when she didn't come back, the feeling of guilt never left his side).

With a last goodbye to her son, Cecilia hugged him tightly, whispering soothingly in his ear "I know he can be difficult at times, but can you take care of him while I'm gone, my sweet boy?" Adrien nodded and gave her a last smile. He would never forget the promise he made to his mother that day, not even during his last moments.


	4. II: The Truth Is Not What We Need

Gabriel Agreste enjoyed the silence. As a man who worked practically 20 hours a day, there was nothing he loved more than a quiet and serene room. Except that, this time, he loathed it.

The hospital walls constricted him, suffocated him to the point of wanting to leave the room, but no, he couldn't do that, he couldn't leave her alone, not when she was suffering, not when he was about to lose her.

The doctors told him only a miracle would help Cecilia, but he refused to believe it. She was too stubborn and hardheaded to leave her family alone, and yet, as he looked over her still body, he hang onto the little hope he had.

He decided then to fly back to Paris and bring his wife with him. He was sure he would give her the best medical attention that his money could get. He was wrong, and again, he kept her locked away, but this time, she wasn't aware of that.

The only thing that kept her alive was ventilator that pushed air through her lungs.

Gabriel knew he must be dreaming when he spotted a white butterfly landing on Cecilia's hand. Her room was customized to serve as an hospital room, and the access was only allowed to a couple of doctors and nurses through a hidden corridor that connected his office and a secret door at the back of the mansion, so it was practically impossible for such animal to fly there.

The white butterfly, startled by Gabriel's sudden presence, retracted its wings, and flew towards the opposite side of the room, magically crossing through the wall to the next room. He followed it, and huge was his surprise when Gabriel found a small creature among a crowd of white butterflies. "I'm sorry, M. Agreste. It was never my intention to cause you or Cecilia any trouble." The little creature apologized, bowing her head. "My name is Nooroo, and it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Gabriel was left dumbstruck. How did this creature know his name? But more importantly, why did the creature seem to know his wife?

"What are you?" Gabriel asked astonished.

"Oh, I thought she would have tell you. I'm a kwamii, and I'm here to thank her for rescuing me. I was lost for so, so many years, I thought I would be lost forever!" The little god exclaimed, but promptly refined his attitude, taking a somber tone. "She's a brave woman. We couldn't have asked for a better peacock holder."

The information was just too much, and Gabriel felt like he was about to faint. The tiredness and lack of sleep must be playing games with him. He reaches out and touched the small creature, "You're real," he heard himself saying in a thin voice, and then, he asked, "Are you here to help her?"

"I wish I could do something to bring her back from her deep sleep, but I can, Master." Nooroo shook his head, a small smile tugging his lips, "But In the meantime, I think she would want to have Duusu in a safer place, so I'm here to bring him back to The Great Master."

"I don't understand. Who is Duusu?" His patience was wearing thin, but something caught his attention. A small wooden box was placed on the floor, it was opened and a purple brooch shone brightly.

"You see, Cecilia was selected as the peacock holder, and her kwamii's name is Duusu. The peacock brooch that I'm sure you've notice is the source of her powers, and as such, she dedicated part of her life to fight against the dark forces that have risen from time to time."

Gabriel leaned down to took the purple brooch between his fingers, listening intently to Nooroo's explanation.

"Many centuries ago, magic jewels bestowing extraordinary powers were created. These were the Miraculous. Throughout history, heroes have used these jewels for the good of the human race. Two of these Miraculous are more powerful than the others; the earrings of the Ladybug, which provide the power of creation; and the ring of the Black Cat, which gives the power of destruction. According to legend, whoever controls both these jewels at the same time, will achieve absolute power."

And idea crossed Gabriel's mind then. In any other situation, he would fear his own reaction, but right then, he was desperate to bring Cecilia back, to save her. He let out a deep breath, thinking to himself 'This is for you, my love, and this is for you, my son'.

"I want that absolute power, Nooroo. I must have those Miraculous," Gabriel exclaimed, and Nooroo became a little agitated, "But nobody knows where these Miraculous are."

"I found you though, my little Nooroo. Your Miraculous, remind me of its powers again."

"The Moth Brooch allows you to give someone their own superpowers and to make that person your devoted follower"

Gabriel was a smart man, so it didn't take long to decide his next step. His tone became cold as he said "And when it comes to luring superheroes, what could be better than creating supervillains?"

Knowing the direction of this sudden change of behavior, Nooroo quickly replied "But master, the Miraculous are not meant to be used for evil purposes!"

"I must have this absolute power! Your Miraculous is in my control! I am your master now, and you must obey me." Gabriel was too far gone at this point to care, and didn't give much option to Nooroo than to accept. The little god nodded solemnly, and defeated, he accepted.

Gabriel called his transformation, and a dark, purplish aura covered him, transforming into something he never imagined he could be.

"From this day on, I shall be known as Hawk Moth." He made the promise to himself, to do everything in his hands to have his family back.

\-- end of the first interlude --


	5. With pride in his eyes

Not too far from the Agreste Manor, Nino and Alya patrolled the streets of Paris under the disguise of their super heroes masks, Jade Turtle and Vixen. After Chat's death, they had agreed, along with Chloe, better known as Queen Bee, to give Mari a break, to heal -if that's even possible- until she felt ready to return to their patrols. With Hawkmoth's sudden disappearance, they thought things would get back to normal.

"Have you talked to Ladybug?" Jade Turtle asked as he put his feet on the ground to rest for a moment after almost half an hour of patrolling. "She doesn't answer my calls nor my messages. Even Sabine is concerned about her sanity... It's been a week," Vixen whispered the last bit of her sentence, aware of how it might sound. Yes, it might have been a week, but they weren't there, they arrived at the scene just to witness a broken Lady holding the lifeless body of her partner.

"I know, babe, but they were together for years. She saw him dying, and couldn't heal him." Jade Turtle pulled the Vixen into a hug, resting his chin above her head, feeling the stress leaving her body. "I can't believe my boy is gone for good," he said against her hair, as an uncomfortable knot formed in his throat. "I was supposed to be there, you know, by his side, but instead.-"

"Please, don't say it," Vixen cut him off, turning around to hug him back, "I don't know what I would do without you." The confession brought something like a sad smile to the hero's lips, shaking his head, he lifted her by the chin to make her look at him. "Don't worry, babe, I'm not going anywhere. Besides, I promised my boy to look after you."

"Yeah? And what brought up that?" She asked him, but was silenced by a soft press of his lips against hers, as he remembered the small, black box that was safely hidden between his clothes. The perfect engagement ring rested there, and no other but Adrien had been the one to help him choosing it.

Their moment was harshly broken by Jade Turtle, whose ability to sense an incoming threat caused him to change his posture, retracting from Vixen and pulling her along to hide behind the nearest wall.

"What's wrong?" She questioned him with an odd look, used by now to him and his weird skills, but annoyed nevertheless, that he had to break their atmosphere.

"Sshhh. Something is coming. It's not an akuma, and certainly not Hawkmoth, but it's definitely here, watching us." The hero looked at his partner and found her taking a defensive stance, very much like a fox would do while feeling threatened. The pointy ears in her head twitched, and she started going to the opposite side of the roof. "It's coming this way," she alerted the Turtle, and in sync, both jumped down and into an alley, as a purplish light almost blinded them. And then, before their eyes, a silhouette appeared, menacing.

The figure smirked at them, almost wild, but it didn't attempt to hurt them, instead, it ran away, heading towards the place it had known for all its life. The Agreste Manor.

Marinette released her transformation and stood by the window. Gabriel kept staring at her until he found his voice again. "I'm certain that you know yours and the Black Cat miraculous are the most powerful jewels, and combined, they grant a power very god-like. They balance one another, the power of life and destruction. But when they're mixed with a different miraculous, the balance is lost and it can potentially trigger the worst side of them." Gabriel cleared his throat and waited for Marinette to say something, but was met with only a silent nod. "When the Moth miraculous is destined for evil purposes, the only other miraculous that can potentially purify it it's yours." That brought a frown to her lips, but immediately, Gabriel raised his hand as a sign that he wasn't done talking yet.

"But if the Moth brooch were combined with the Black Cat ring, the holder would lost their mind, and they would be consumed by rage and anger and the purity of their heart would be suppressed by their hate."

She tried to understand what he was saying. How could this information bring his son back? "But you wanted mine and Adrien's miraculous."

"I know, Marinette, but there's something else. The holders cannot be akumatized, either for good or evil while transformed. That doesn't mean their stones can't be possessed by an akuma while they aren't in use, and the negative or positive effect would be activated when they get in contact with their owner. And if the holder and the kwamii spent as much time as Nooroo and Plagg did with me and Adrien, this combination can potentially..." He trailed off, setting his gaze on Marinette, gauging her reaction. She stared at him, impatient, but he could notice that the gears of her head were turning. "... can potentially reanimate their holder's heart."

Marinette stared at Gabriel in shock, and he approached her slowly, without the intention of startling her. "A moth walks in the dark and is driven by the light. And the bad luck of a cat means that they have to come back only to die again. If I'm correct, if the magic works, our Adrien will return to us." His tone took a weird optimistic tone that made her stomach hurt. "B-but he could be a monster." She snapped at the old man, feeling the anger bubbling up again.

"What did you do with your miraculous?" Marinette didn't want to know the answer, because she remembered that day. They had buried Adrien with his, assured by Master Fu that he could make another copy of the ring and call back Plagg if needed. But she also remembered the image of Gabriel standing by the coffin, and hiding something inside Adrien's jacket.

"You need to understand that I couldn't live with the guilt, Marinette. If the magic works, he will be with us, but I couldn't just do nothing." He sounded so sincere that it almost broke her heart, but what he didn't seem to see was that he had practically condemned his own son.

"You did enough as Hawkmoth, Gabriel. You can't play God and decide who lives and who doesn't. That's selfish and .-"

The power of the house turned off, and the only light that illuminated the office came from the chimney. "Stay here. I'll see what caused the blackout." Marinette was about to protest when the window that she had used to get inside crashed into tiny pieces of glass. Instinctively, she moved aside and covered her face, but was grabbed by something. Or better said, someone.

"Where do you think you're going, Princess?" A voice asked, a voice that she got to know too well over the past years. Marinette couldn't describe what she felt. A wave of terror and panic invaded her body as she stared at two purplish orbits that were staring back at her. In the darkness, she could make out the lines of his face. He was Adrien, but he wasn't her partner. Something else had taken his place.

She pulled back to try to break his hold, but he tightened his hold, drawing blood from where he had dug his claws in her wrist. Terrified, Marinette decided to call her transformation, but seeming to read her mind, Adrien pulled her into an embrace of sorts, sneaking an arm to hold her by the waist and using his other hand to cover her mouth, agile and quick as a cat would corner its prey.

"Easy now, Princess. I came back for you. Ladybug can wait." He purred in her ear, gaining a shiver from her. She struggled against him, and the hand on her waist moved up to her neck. For the first time in her life, Marinette was scared of him, of Adrien and as he put pressure over her pulse, and the lack of oxygen brought blackness to her vision, she wondered if perhaps, he had come back to kill her.

Gabriel returned to the office and found them in the edge of the balcony. With Adrien about to jump down and an unconscious Marinette in his arms. Adrien looked over his shoulder and winked as he jumped off. Before they hit the ground, a swarm of butterflies caught them, taking them to his lair.

Gabriel's legs gave up and he fell to the floor, for once happy that Cecilia couldn't see what her son had become.


	6. The darkness I've known in you

The rain hit the ground in the Parisian autumn as the battle kept unfolding in the Eiffel Tower. Ladybug and Chat Noir managed to avoid the blows of Hawkmoth's cane barely, struggling, strike after strike, to keep up with his unrelenting pace.

This time, Hawkmoth didn't want to steal their miraculous, no, this time, he was aiming to kill. Desperation brought him to a point where he decided to take the matter into his hands and stop sending his champions after them, and instead, for the first time in almost seven years, he showed up himself.

As unexpected as it was, Ladybug and Chat were doing their best to defeat Hawkmoth once and for all. Without a plan, without more allies, they run into battlefield, prepared to face what would be their last battle.

With the intention of not taking unnecessary risks, they had agreed not to use their special powers until they had effectively cowered Hawkmoth which resulted easier said than done. "We're wasting too much time, Chat!" Marinette yelled at her partner, keeping an eye on Hawkmoth, who was in turn scanning the area, "We're exhausting our kwamis and won't be able to use our powers if we keep waiting for a safe exit."

Chat considered her words, wiping away the sweat that glistened in his forehead, "he's being impulsive, maybe we can use it to our advantage," Chat peeked out from his hiding place to see Hawkmoth ascending the Eiffel Tower. Then, he had an idea. "Do you trust me my lady?" He asked, standing up to face Ladybug, who wore a puzzical expression, "You know I do, Chaton. I trust you with my life."

Ladybug didn't like the direction their brief conversation was heading to, and reading her as well as he did, Chat immediately cupped her face between his hands and whispered softly "I promised I'd protect you no matter what, remember? You're my home, Marinette, the best thing that could've ever happened to me. " She started to shake, holding back the tears that were pooling in her eyes, and sensing her distress, he quickly placed his lips upon hers. Although they had decided not to show openly their affections during battles, he couldn't help himself, hugging her tightly against his chest as Ladybug placed her hands on his shoulders, practically clinging to him.

"Chat, please, don't do anything stupid. I need you," she said pleadingly, to which he only smiled at her, nodding, "I know, LB, but for once, do as I say and stay here, okay? I'll tell you when it's safe to come up and cleanse his miraculous." With a last kiss in her forehead, he pulled away, and started to climb the Eiffel Tower, not before turning around and mouthing the words 'I love you'.

Their kwamis had told them once that they balanced each other. While one brought death, the other brought life. But they had omitted to mention that, most of the time, when the Black Cat and the Ladybug fell in love, one of them died tragically protecting the other. It was inevitable, and over the time, Tikki learned to accept their fate, embracing with love every Ladybug, while Plagg tried his hardest not to show too much emotion, in a way he protected himself and his holder, in case they lost they beloved one. Thus, Ladybug could do nothing but to watch the cruel battle before her eyes, waiting for Chat to call her over.

"It's over, Hawkmoth," Chat said as he stood in a defensive stance, "When your miraculous runs out of time, you're gonna give it to us. We can help you, Ladybug can."

"No one can help me, you insolent boy," Hawkmoth angrily answered, watching Chat's every move. "You think this is about power? About ruling the world? It is not. I'm above all those false pretenses of superiority. All I need is your miraculous." Chat stared confused at the villain, trying to put a meaning to his words. "Then what is it, Hawkmoth? You're acting like the big baddie here, and yet you say you don't want that kind of power. It's difficult to believe it." Chat ran towards Hawkmoth, ready to deliver a hit with his baton, but the older man effectively reflected the hit with his cane, avoiding him. "It's your last chance, Hawkmoth. We can stop everything here, just give us Nooroo back!"

Hawkmoth ignored the young hero back, and send a wave of furious akumas to attack Chat Noir. He called for his cataclysm and calculating the villain's next move, Chat advanced slowly. When the villain moved to avoid Chat, a piece of paper that fell from the pocket of the purple jacket that Hawkmoth wore. He didn't notice it, but Chat did, and with his feline alike reflexes, he picked it up and froze in that moment. A young woman with green eyes and blonde hair stared back at him, and from the distance, Chat barely heard the growl that came from deep inside Hawkmoth. "I will save her. My Cecilia will live again, and neither will you or Ladybug stop me!"

Horrified by the sudden knowledge of who the man behind the mask was, Chat turned slowly. But instead of accepting the truth, Chat softly asked "Cecilia? Is this your wife?" Forgetting that he had called for his cataclysmic, he dropped the picture and placed both hands on the bannister that held his weight. "How could you do this to her, Gabriel?" Unfazed by the hero's question, Hawkmoth creeped behind him, noticing the rusty metal in which Chat was leaning on. "This will save her and my family." He whispered coldly, and when the young hero turned around, he called once more another wave of akumas, sending Chat Noir effectively to the ground.

Ladybug observed carefully the scene before her, and was confused by her partner's attitude. Whatever Hawkmoth told him, was affecting him. Not wanting to waste another minute, she climbed up to where they were, and before she could reach the top, he heard the scream of Chat Noir and a black silhouette flying to the ground. The shock and fear that Ladybug felt then was quickly replaced with anger as the black figure hit the pavement and a green light illuminated the area. Jumping down as fast as she could, she landed next to Adrien's body.

"Adrien?" Ladybug fell on her knees as she stared at the lifeless body of her partner. His blonde hair was now covered by mud and blood, his face and body covered in huge bruises. Carefully, she took him in her arms, running her hands through his hair. "Adrien, please open your eyes." Ladybug got no response, and in that moment she released her transformation, not caring if someone was out there watching her.

Weakly, Tikki flied to where Plagg had landed, a few inches from his holder. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and looked at the ladybug kwamii, her expression telling him everything he needed to know. "I tried, Tik, I swear I did," his eyes then glistened with unshed tears and Tikki nodded, her big, blue eyes closing for a moment to try to keep hers from falling. She knew what would happen next, and although this wasn't the first time, she wasn't ready to let her soul mate go. "I'll see you again, Tik. We always do." Plagg took her small hand in his, and Tikki nodded. "Take care of your bug. She'll need you." With a last smile, Plagg evaporated in a green cloud that was swallowed by the ring that Adrien still had in his hand. He would stay there until the next holder was chosen by the Great Master. "Goodbye, Plagg." The red kwamii whispered to the green cloud, and then moved over to the distressed Marinette, taking her place upon her shoulder.

Marinette was inconsolable, but when she felt Hawkmoth's presence, she looked up, ready to fight if needed. "Your turn, Ladybug," Hawkmoth gave her a wicked grin and lifted his cane, ready to strike, but then she lowered the body of her partner on the cold concrete to stand up, and in that moment, Hawkmoth felt his world falling apart.

"No, no it can be. Chat Noir can't be..." He was breathing heavily. He released his transformation and stared down at the fallen superhero.

to give up when she met Hawkmoth's eyes staring back at her. "Your turn, Ladybug," he whispered, closing the distance between them.

A new wave of fury invaded Marinette as she saw the man who was responsible for the death of Adrien. His own father had caused it, and with the little strength that she still had, Marinette launched forward, causing Gabriel to lose his balance. She pummeled him angrily, part of her feeling an strange satisfaction with every strike as he remained still. Tikki couldn't let her chosen lost herself to the anger and grief, so she flied between them, and with her most severe voice, the red kwamii ordered her to stop.

"But he killed Adrien! He killed his own son, Tikki!" Marinette argued, and Tikki sadly nodded, "And he took Plagg away, too, but this is not the answer. Beating him will not bring Adrien back. I know it hurts Marinette, but you need to stop immediately." Marinette looked at her kwamii before shaking her head. Then she stood up and took again her place besides Adrien. "You're a monster, Gabriel, and I hope you feel what I'm feeling right now. That, and knowing that the blood of your own son is in your hands, will be enough punishment."

The funeral had been simple. While the news reported the death of Paris' hero, Chat Noir, only a small group of people knew about Adrien's death. No one questioned why Marinette sat besides the coffin with a plain expression and eyes almost dry from crying, while Gabriel sat on the corner, away from everybody.

Before the coffin was finally closed, Marinette said her last goodbye to Adrien, and made sure that he still had his silver ring. In her mind, she knew Plagg would be there, too, taking care of him. What she didn't expect was to see Gabriel doing the same thing, placing something inside Adrien's jacket that she couldn't quite distinguish. She let that small fact go, as she returned to her apartment. She had refused to stay with her parents or with Alya. She needed to be alone for the inevitable break down.

Gabriel returned to his mansion, feeling lonely as ever. He moved through his house until he reached Cecilia's room. He saw her for a moment before moving to her side to take her hand. "He will come back," he assured her, getting no response. "He will come back, and when he does, will be a family again."

Marinette opened her eyes, feeling dizzy and confused. 'Where am I?' She thought to herself as the memories from the previous couple of hours hit her. She remembered her talk with Gabriel, and then the man who was the vivid image of Adrien. But no, that was impossible, he couldn't be her Chat, he was...

"Feeling better, pruuuuncess?" The man purred, and she looked around the room, trying to find the source of the voice. "Who are you?" She timidly asked, taking in her surroundings. The first thing she noticed was that she was chained to a bed, and the room was poorly illuminated. She touched her earlobes and took in a deep breath in panic. Whoever this man was, had taken her miraculous and Tikki with them.

"Don't you worry about it, my Lady. You're safe here." The voice responded and in the corner of her eyes, she spotted a figure almost waltzing towards her.

"Who are you?" Marinette asked again, this time in a more demanding tone, gaining a chuckle from the man. "I think we know the answer. But if you want, I'll grace you with a name." The man then stood by the foot of the bed and smiled. His green eyes reflecting a dark aura that she hadn't seen before.

"You can call me Chat Blanc."


	7. Boundless Darkness

**(A/N) Hey y'all, the new chapter is finally here! Thank you all for reading this fic, for your comments and faves, are really appreciated!**

 **As always, English isn't my first language, this chapter was unbeta'ed, and all mistakes are my own.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Ah, btw, you can find me on Tumblr at mitzwrites., when you can send prompts for different ships, aus and fandoms!**

"What's up, losers? You better have a good reason to call me at this ungodly hour because you just ruined my date again," the blonde said loudly as she entered the room. The bee miraculous holder kept her eyes on the screen of her cellphone as she type another message and occupied her usual seat by the window.

When Chloe received the miraculous, she was astonished to become a super hero. She would be famous and loved and more importantly, she would work side by side with her hero. After their first time fighting an akuma, Chloe realized that some changes were necessary in order to become a real hero like Ladybug, so, with that purpose in mind, the mean and cruel daughter of the Mayor, became a different person. The cracks that pained her and made her an unbearable girl were filled by the love and admiration of the people of Paris and the support of Ladybug and Chat Noir, and after a while, she found herself surrounded by people who cared about her.

She couldn't get enough of the feeling of transforming into Queen B.

The Great Master cleared his throat, and when Chloe looked up from the screen, she nearly fell off her chair. "Mr. Agreste? What are you doing here?" She asked incredulously and shoot a look at Alya who shrugged off her shoulders. "Master Fu asked me to gather you guys here. There's an emergency," Nino intervened, scratching the back of his head, nervously.

"There is something we need to discuss, and it's important to have all of you tonight," the Great Master didn't wait for another interruption, and continued speaking, "Ladybug's life could be in danger." Alya let out an audible gasp and Chloe dropped her phone, but both women tried to conserve the calm, shooting nervous glances at Gabriel's direction. "And it is our duty as the guardians of the miraculouses to restore the balance that was lost when Chat Noir passed away."

Gabriel's face went blank at the mention of his deceased son, action that didn't go unnoticed by the other members, causing Alya to speak for the first time since their reunion began. "So, if we all have a miraculous, that means that Mr. Agreste here is, or rather was the owner of the peacock brooch, right?"

An uncomfortable silence fell upon the room. Gabriel shook his head, softly, as the former and the current Great Masters exchanged a look.

"Babe," Nino started, himself holding Alya's hand between his, "This is more complicated than that. Years ago, the peacock miraculous was granted to a beautiful and fair woman who had an awful accident. She went missing and so did the miraculous. That woman was Cecilia Agreste."

"No way!" Chloe exclaimed in shook, "Are you saying that Adrien's mom was a holder like us? Did you know it, Master Fu?"

"I did," the old man answered, "I didn't have the chance to tell him, but I was hoping he could help me to not only find the brooch, but also, to discover his mother's whereabouts."

The room fell in silence once again, everyone expecting Gabriel to add something to their discussion. "In different circumstances, I wouldn't be discussing this personal matter with any of you, but as you've been told, Marinette could be in danger, and we need to find a way to help her." Gabriel carried himself with the confidence that was proper of an Agreste, but his tone was solemn and his expression hard. "But to do so, I must confess that.-" "That's not necessary, Gabriel," Master Fu interrupted him, "You've done enough."

"No, no, no." Alya cut in, raising lightly her voice to hide the fear that was invading her. "My best friend is in danger, and her father-in-law knows more than we thought. Please, Mr. Agreste, finish what you were saying."

"I am the former owner of the moth miraculous. I was Hawkmoth."

Chloe felt like someone had poured a bucket of cold water over her, and Alya felt a punch in her guts. The blonde rose from her seat and walked over to face Gabriel.

When Chloe was younger, she was mean and a bully, but as she grew up, she became a fine and fierce warrior. However, the dead cold look in her eyes was something new. Something definitely scary.

"Marinette told us that Hawkmoth killed Chat Noir. How could you? How could you live knowing that you killed your own son!" She yelled at him, and hit him with her clenched hands, but the small, yellow god came out from her purse, trying to get her attention, Pollen flew between them. "That's enough, Miss, you're losing your temper," Pollen chided her holder. "I don't care!" Chloe replied, doing her best to keep her angry tears from falling, "He killed my best friend!"

The little god circled Chloe and flapping her wings, Pollen produced a sweet smelling dust that always seemed to calm her chosen. "I understand your feelings better than you think. But if you want to help your friend, you need to put yourself together. Ladybug needs our help." Sniffing, Chloe nodded and turned around.

Brushing the wrinkles off his suit, Gabriel added, "There's something else I need to tell you. I believe I know the identity of the person who took Marinette."

"Man, you just dropped the bomb on them. Let the girls have a few minutes to digest it." Nino said, and realizing his mistake, he quickly turned to Alya, who pulled her hand away, harshly. "Babe, I swear.-" "Save it, Nino. You did know and didn't care to tell me before coming here, that's all that matters."

Sensing the distress of her holder, Trixx flied from the front pocket of Alya's shirt and landen on her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek, softly.

"All of you, quit the drama now. Gods, why didn't I choose holders of my age?" Master Fu shook his head. "Resuming what brought us here, I believe the person who took Ladybug is an old friend of ours. The possibilities that Chat Noir is back, are high."

Blinking, Chloe was the first to ask, "How's that possible when Hawkmoth killed Adrien?"

"I said Chat Noir, Queen B, not Adrien," Master Fu replied, "If I understand this correctly, Chat Noir received a power impact with Hawkmoth's cane, and it's likely that an akuma was attracted to his ring," Master Fu began his explanation, rubbing his beard in concentration, "But Hawkmoth here told me he buried his son with his brooch. Following that train of thought, the miraculous of the black cat is the most volatile of all the miraculouses, needing the ladybug miraculous to compensate this energy.

Two miraculouses that aren't designed to be together, can potentially create chaos, and if we consider the fact that the moth brooch was charged with dark energy, in combination with the silver ring of the black cat, the consequences can be terrible."

When Master Fu finished his explanation, Alya clapped her hands and added, "then that's the plan. We get Mari back, she cleanses the ring and the brooch, and everything goes back to normal."

"It's not that simple, Vixen. He technically returned from the death, carrying with him a dark force. The object that needs to be purified is inside of him. It's his soul. And never in my entire life, I've witnessed such a miracle."

Ooooo

"What is it, Princess? Cat got your tongue?"

Marinette knew that this man in front of her couldn't be the love of the life. His voice was rough and his eyes emotionless, and yet, when he sat on the edge of the bed by her side, she couldn't help but let out a small sob as her body began to tremble. "You're not him. I saw him dead. I buried him."

Chat Blanc grinned widely, and reverently, he took her hand and brought it up to his lips, planting small kisses over her knuckles. "Is this not real to you, my Lady?" Then, he placed her hand upon his chest, above his heart. "Is it not beating fast enough for you?" He leaned closer to Marinette, brushed the fangs from her eyes and kissed her forehead, softly. "I'm real, Marinette. Not even death can keep us apart."

She was openly crying now, lowering her defenses for the person she trusted the most. Deep inside, Marinette was well aware that this man couldn't be her Adrien. But for a moment, she allowed herself to fall into his trap.

Chat Blanc circled her small form with his arms, and continued placing small kisses down the side of her face. "I missed you so much, Mari," he whispered, nuzzling her neck. "But how? I saw you dying, Adrien, I..." she trailed off, feeling the sudden change in his behavior at the mention of his name. "I told you, I'm Chat Blanc, princess, don't forget it," he hissed, tightening his arms around Marinette.

Marinette nodded and decided against saying anything else for now. She controlled her breathing as he relaxed his embrace. Chat Blanc rested his head on her shoulder, and sniffed her a couple of times before emitting a deep purr that always calmed her. If Marinette closed her eyes, she could easily imagine that she was back home with Adrien by her side.

"That day, before our last battle, you smelled so much sweeter than usual." Chat Blanc spoke after a couple of minutes in silence. "I asked Plagg and he told me my enhanced smell sense allows me to detect changes in a person, even if they don't know it.

You didn't know it, Marinette, but I took the hardest blows to protect you, both of you. And when I found out who Hawkmoth really was, I promised that he would never take anyone I love away from me, like he did with my mom." She tried to discern the meaning of his words, but then, he looked at her with his most sincere smile, and placed a hand on her still flat stomach. "Now that you're here, we can finally be a family, Marinette, you, me, and the little bean that's growing inside of you."


	8. Slipping Away

**Hey y'all! After watching the latest episodes, the inspiration came, so the new chapter is here!**

 **I want to point out that this episode is mostly flashbacks than actual plot, because a comment on made me realize that there may be some plots that I need to fix.**

 **Thank you all for the comments, kudos, favorites, etc! Your support fuels me to keep going!**

 **If you have any question, prompt or just wanna chat, you can find me on tumblr as miitzwrites ;)**

 **And as always, this chapter was unbeta'ed, somewhat edited, and English isn't my first language.**

 **Enjoy!**

 _"When did you find out?"_

 _Her voice betrayed her. The nervousness was clear in her tone, and even turned away from him, Ladybug knew Chat would sense her mood. Chat shrugged off, and took a couple of tentative steps towards Ladybug. "I think I've known since the beginning, My Lady," he answered, "My kwami told me something about my enhanced smell. It was so obvious, I literally had all the clues under my nose."_

 _Ladybug nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why didn't you say something?"_

 _"Because, Marinette, you were clear you didn't want to reveal your identity, and I respect that. I guess, after all this time, being friends and all, I got used to be close to you. As long as you allow me to be with you, I don't mind if I talk to Marinette or Ladybug." Chat's answer didn't convince her, and calling out her transformation, Marinette stood there, shaking from a mix of anger and the cold air of the night._

 _"You don't understand, Chat!" Marinette angrily answered, turning around to face Chat. "It does matter to me. Ladybug and Marinette have so little in common, and you surely think so highly of her."_

 _Chat walked up to Marinette, placing his hands on her shoulders, his gaze locked with hers. "You're right. I think so highly of her, and you wanna know why? Because she's amazing. Ladybug is strong, she's sweet, and I couldn't do this without her. How can I not admire her?"_

 _Marinette's eyes were filled with tears at Chat's admission. It felt like a punch in the stomach to know that he admired Ladybug. Even after all these years, a part of her was still a little insecure about her good job as Ladybug. "You're so cute," she heard him saying. With his fingers, Chat tipped her chin to make her look at him again. His eyes expressed kindness and he smiled. "You wanna know something else? I love the girl behind the mask. Because she's fierce, she's brave, she's the sweetest person I've ever met. And without you, Ladybug wouldn't exist. You make her real, Marinette, never forget that."_

 _She weakly nodded, and Chat took the chance to pull her closer and hugged her. Physical contact wasn't strange for them. As Ladybug and Chat Noir, they were best friends, but as Chat and Marinette, they had become friendly over the course of the past year, more than that, they had developed romantic feelings for each other. They knew perfectly when the other needed support. And Chat was a big fan of hugging his princess._

 _Chat called out his transformation, noticing that Marinette was trembling. "You're shivering," he murmured, taking off his coat and placing the garment around her shoulders. Marinette looked up to stare directly into a pair of green eyes that she had loved for years. "Oh. My. God. Adrien?!" She exclaimed, surprised, and he only smiled. "Well, the cat's out of the bag," Adrien grinned, and for the first time that night, she let out an honest laugh._

 _A week later, they started dating. And six months later, they moved in together._

Ooooo

"I thought you'd be happier, My Lady," Chat Blanc said, rubbing her flat stomach affectionately. "Say something, Princess, you start to worry me."

The impression caused her to pass out. Everything was happening too fast, she could hardly believe that one day she mourned the loss of her love, and the next, she had him back -kind of -, and with the news that she was pregnant.

Chat Blanc lifted up his eyes, a gentle smile crossing his lips. Lovingly, she kissed her stomach and then her cheek, then he raised from the bed. "Rest for now, princess. I'll come back to you, soon."

Ooooo

"May I have a word with you, Gabriel?" Master Fu asked, although it was obvious he wouldn't get a no by response. Gabriel sighed, but nodded once, indicating the shorter man that he may speak.

"When you used the magic that Nooroo provided you with, you were reckless. This wouldn't be happening if you had followed the instructions correctly. The spell said.-"

"How could I have known that this would happen?" Gabriel snapped at the former ex master, "The book said that I could bring my son back, and I followed the instructions correctly. I needed his miraculous to help Cecilia."

Master Fu narrowed her eyes, grasping his cane a little bit tighter. For him, Cecilia was a personal failure , and it still hurt him when he remembered her. "Don't you dare to mention her, Gabriel. When she had the accident, I told you I could bring her back. Only a master has that ability, and you knew it! I told you I could help you and her, and you.-"

"She's not dead." Gabriel cut him off, effectively silencing the Master. After her accident in The Tibet, her prognosis wasn't favorable. Doctors said she would be dead within 48 hours, and instead of accepting help, Gabriel decided to bring her back to Paris, where a team of professionals could treat her. What Master Fu didn't know was that Cecilia was connected to a machine that helped her to fill her lungs of oxygen. Gabriel put her in more unnecessary pain, all because he refused to let her go.

The heads of the others gathered around, turned to watch the argument. Master Fu lowered his voice then, "Where do you have her?"

"She's recovering." Gabriel told him by response, but Master Fu shook his head. "It's been seven years, Gabriel. The magic that hit her, has left her system. There's no way she could recover now."

Indignantly, Gabriel left the room, fuming. "That's why I want the miraculous of the Black Cat and Ladybug. And I won't make the same mistake again."

Ooooo

 _To say that he was nervous, was the understatement of the century. As he had promised, Adrien visited his father's mansion, and anxiously waited outside his office, gathering as much valor as he could. While it was partially true that he would finally tell Gabriel that he would quit modeling, there was something else that needed to be discussed, and frankly, he feared his father's reaction._

 _"Adrien, stop pacing. I know you've been outside for almost fifteen minutes. Please, come inside."_

 _Adrien went pale when he heard his father's voice, but he took a deep breath, and opened the door. "Good evening, father," he casually greeted the other man, trying to appear more serene. Gabriel didn't look up from the drafts that he was reviewing. "Good evening, son. Please, take a seat and tell me what brings you here?"_

 _"I'd rather stay here, thanks." Adrien answered, idly playing with the bracelet that Marinette had given him years ago. "I hope I don't interrupt anything important, but I need to talk to you about something . Well, about two things, actually."_

 _Gabriel remained in silence. His fingers skimmed over the designs that he needed to evaluate. When he didn't add anything to the conversation, Adrien continued. "You see, father, I've been thinking about this and I believe it's time for me to quit being the face of Gabriel's. It's important that I focus on my studies, and I can continue learning from you, but I don't see myself doing more photoshoots."_

 _That captured Gabriel's attention. The designer immediately stopped and finally, looked up from the pages scattered over his desk. Adrien gulped, and waited for his father's reaction._

 _"You're an adult now, Adrien, but your contract states that you will remain in the company until you turn 25, meaning that you still have to work for me for three more years."_

 _"But father, you don't understand! It's not only for me that I'm doing this, but also for Marinette."_

 _"Oh, so she, the famous, amateur designer, told you to quit?"_

 _"No, she didn't."_

 _"Then what is it? Because I'm surprised that you don't respect our agreement. She's a young woman with talent, but that doesn't mean I will let her interfere in your career."_

 _"Father, please, that's not what I wanted to tell you."_

 _"I'm sorry, but this conversation is over."_

 _"She's pregnant, okay? And I want to marry her!" Adrien blurted out, and a weight seemed to lift off his shoulders. He wasn't exactly sure that she was, in fact, she didn't know that, but if Plagg was right, then he could smell her even before she noticed the changes in her body._

 _Gabriel closed his eyes, briefly, as if he was trying collect his thoughts. "Well, that can potentially hurt your career."_

 _Adrien knew how to control his raising temper. He had practiced this conversation for weeks, studying every possible answer and outcome. But this, he wasn't expecting that plain reply. "How could you say that?" Adrien did his hardest not to lose it, even if he wanted to get out in that very instant. "A child never ruins anything."_

 _"Some kids do." Gabriel coldly muttered, ignoring the hurt that was printed on his son's face._

 _"No wonder why mom left you," Adrien muttered in return, turning around to leave the office, but before he could cross the threshold, a hand grabbed him by the arm, and pushed him against the nearest wall. In his confusion, he couldn't avoid the hand that slapped his cheek. "Don't you ever say that again!" Never in his life had he seen his father losing the composure. Yes, talking about his mom was practically forbidden, but this reaction was extreme._

 _Adrien brought his hand up to his face, to wipe off the fine trail of blood that came from his lower lip. The shook was still evident in his face, as he turned around. He only managed to whisper "Thank you for your time, father," leaving the office, and decided to never return to this house._

 _Some time later that day, Hawkmoth walked down the streets of Paris. After he got reminded why he desperately needed the miraculouses, he decided to stop waiting for another failure. He will obtain the miraculouses, or he would die trying._

Ooooo

A loud noise coming from downstairs alerted the rest of the heroes of the presence of someone. Alya and Nino were the first two to run towards the noise, and Chloe and Master Fu followed them close behind.

When they reached the end of the stairs, they found Gabriel unconscious, and a dark figure towering over him. The man's eyes shone brightly, reflecting anger on them. "Cat got your tongues, huh?" He smirked wickedly, and then added, "as much as I love the reunion, father and I have some unfinished business."

Before he could escape, Master Fu stepped in. "Adrien wait!" He grabbed his cane for support, breathless. "I'm not entirely sure about what happened between you and your father. But you can't take him with you."

Chat Blanc shook his head, with a mocking expression on his face. "And why would I listen to you?"

"Because Gabriel knows where your mother is."

Chat Blanc's face was painted with disbelief, but was quickly replaced with anger. He was about to launch forward Master Fu, but the rest of the heroes stood in front of him, defending the Great Guardian.

"That's a lie!," Chat Blanc growled, grabbing the limp body of his father by the neck, and threw him against the wall, like a rag doll.

Alya was about to attack, but Master Fu took her hand, preventing her from making a move, and signaled the others to remain quiet, as if they were dealing with a savage beast.

"Your father tried to take care of her, but it was too late. Her mind and soul had abandoned her body." Master Fu explained to a confused Chat Noir, and for a moment, he could see that the eyes of the young man changed to a more olive color, before returning to the bright green.

Chat Blanc wasn't a fool, and even in his altered state of mind, he could understand the meaning behind Master Fu's words.

"Cecilia was very dear to me, Adrien, but she's not here with us. Her body might be, but not her heart. I'm sorry, son, but she's dead."


	9. I'll be a shadow of a flame

**New chapter is finally here!**

 **Hi everyone! First of all, thanks so much for your comments, support and insterest on this little story. We're reaching the end! Just two or three more chapters and it's over. I could add more stuff and plot and all, but my addition would defeat the purpose of this fic, so yeah.**

 **This update is a bit shorter than planned, but I thought it's better if I write what actually fits in the chapter, so here we goo.**

 **As always, English isn't my first language and this piece was unbeta'ed.**

 **Find me on tumblr miitzwrites**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The white suited villain stood immobile. His eyes seemed to lost the focus as he stared at nothing. Master Fu's words resounded loudly inside his head. 'She's dead', he had said, but how could she? His father had told him his mother would return, so naturally, he refused to believe that she wasn't alive anymore. Questions filled his mind, and in the rational part of it, he knew he wouldn't like the answers. He fell to the floor, beside the still unconscious body of his father.

The rest of the heroes watched him with a mix of confusion and sadness, especially Chloe, who had been there for Adrien, sharing the same kind of pain. She wanted to offer him comfort, but Master Fu held up his hand, signaling her to wait.

Chat Blanc looked at his father, and a wave of rage invaded him. He moved his hands to grab the man, but instantly, he let out a growl of pain. His head was pounding, and the pain shoot through his whole body. "H-help me," he weakly muttered, "please help me."

"Pollen, now!" The Great Master ordered the little god to use her power. Pollen flapped her wings, and golden dust fell over Chat Blanc, calming him immediately, and causing the young man to collapse. Master Fu approached him, and frowned, noticing that his white mask had some cracks on the right side of his face. "It has begun," he whispered to himself, ignoring the curious gazes of the others. "Jade Turtle, please help me to put Gabriel in one of the spare rooms. And Queen B, please tie Chat up. He won't be too cooperative when he wakes up."

Nino did what the Master told him, followed by Alya. Chloe tied Chat's hands with rope, and a single tear fell down her cheek. "How did this happen, Master Fu?" She inquired him, and the old man sighed, "Gabriel wanted to bring him back, but he used the corrupted power of Nooroo and Chat's ring. Even if Plagg doesn't rest there anymore, his energy was still present at the time. Two negative forces could only make this happen."

"He doesn't seem to have a soul. What if he hurts Mari? What if he kills Gabriel?"

Master Fu placed a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder, "He has unfinished business, that is the only explanation as to why he was strong enough to come back to life. For revenge or for love, either way, both forces pulled him back." Chloe nodded, trying to understand his words. "Is there anything we can do to help him?"

"Sadly, I have never seen something like that before. But for what I can grasp on the matter, the only thing we can do is to help him to find the rest that his soul needs."

Ooooo

"Babe please talk to me," Nino said, stepping out the room after leaving Gabriel on the bed to rest. Stubbornly, Alya shook her head, refusing to even look at him. "You know I would never lie to you, Alya, but I couldn't say anything."

"Have you ever heard about 'lies by omission'? Then don't come to me with your puppy face trying to fix everything. You fucked it up, Lahiffe, and big time."

As the successor of the Great Master, Nino knew that his responsibilities belonged only to him and no one else. The weight that he had to carry on his shoulders was something that he wasn't sure Alya could completely understand. Tentatively, he took her hands, obliging her to meet his gaze. "Alya, you need to understand that being the Great Master is a huge commitment, but isn't as rewarding as being with you. I don't want to hurt you, ever, but sometimes, I need to separate myself from you to keep you safe. At least, 'professionally speaking'."

"Bullshit," she mumbled, but didn't move away. "Why can't we work well together like LB and Chat?"

"Because the fox can eat the turtle, and that's not always enjoyable." His joke made her crack a smile. Being a super hero wasn't as exciting as the comics led her to believe. It was a hard job, most of the time, complicated. But she was greatly rewarded when she returned home to Nino. They were a good team on their own, with their imperfections and all, they worked in -almost- perfect harmony.

"I won't apologize because I'm still mad," she finally said, interlacing her fingers with his, "But I can tell you how much I love you, even though you're a big idiot."

"What did I do to deserve you?"

"Something very bad, probably."

Nino kissed her palm and her wrist, then leaned down to capture her lips. For an instant, they could forget the difficulties that they were facing. For a moment, nothing else mattered. Reluctantly, she broke the kiss, and rested her head on his chest, breathing in his comforting smell. "I miss them," she softly said, and Nino nodded sadly, "I miss them, too," he admitted, running his fingers through her long hair. "Is there anything we can do to help them?"

"Master Fu told me that our best scenario is to have Adrien return to an unperturbed rest." He told her, feeling a knot forming down his throat.

"Are you saying we need to…"

"No, babe, it's not like that. He needs to understand that he doesn't belong to this world anymore, and once he does that, he will rest in peace. But, frankly, I believe Mari is the biggest string that chains him here."

Ooooo

He opened his eyes slowly, feeling dizzy as if he was floating. He didn't recognize the room, and he couldn't move, something stopped him from moving his hands and feet.

"I underestimate Pollen's power,' an old voice spoke near him, but his clogged mind couldn't identify the owner.

"Where am I?" Chat slurred.

"You're safe here, Chat Noir, we will help you," the old man said, but Chat didn't like the sound of that name. 'No, no, I'm not Chat Noir, I am Chat Blanc,' he thought, as his mind started to find clarity in this situation.

"Marinette. I need to go back to her," everything started to come back in place, his eyes finally focusing on the short man who stood in front of him.

"Tell me where she is and I'll bring her here," Master Fu said, and Chat Blanc let out a low growl, feeling like a caged animal. Master Fu noticed that Chat's eyes changed from green to lilac in an instant, but the emptiness he saw on them earlier, was still present.

"I won't let you or anyone get to her. You won't take her away from me!" Chat hissed through clenched teeth, the sound sending an uncomfortable chill down Master Fu's spine. He looked composed, though, but decided not to get closer to Chat. "She's suffering, Chat. Don't make the same mistake as your father did."

At the mention of his mother, his eyes softened, returning to the electric green. "How did it happen?"

Master Fu sighed sadly. It was hard for him to talk about her. She was special, and her kind soul made her the perfect holder for the peacock. But she was also stubborn, and that trait led her to her ungodly fate. "Years ago, when our temple was destroyed, Nooroo was stolen. I couldn't find him or the miraculous, but I never stopped trying. By the time I had a solid clue about his whereabouts, Cecilia offered to rescue him. In the process, a dark spell hit her, provoking a separation between her body and her soul. We couldn't make the ritual to link them back together." He didn't want to mention that Gabriel ignored his pleas to leave Cecilia in the Tibet where he could help her, and instead, flied them both back to Paris, prolonging the separation and, therefore, causing her an accidental but irrevocable damage.

"And why would Gabriel want the miraculous then?"

"Because he thought he could bring her back. But no one has ever tried to use the miraculous of the Ladybug and the Black Cat together."

Chat Blanc pondered his options, and a malevolent smirk made its way onto his face. The sound of an explosion coming from within the house caught Master Fu's attention, and he ran off the room, leaving Chat alone. The rope wasn't strong enough to contain him, so he used this chance to break free from his binds, and escaped through the window.

Oooo

"Master Fu, it's a miracle!" The little green god flied over to his former Master, after the smoke cleared. The explosion came from downstairs, where he kept tucked away the miraculouses. Before he could ask what was going on, Plagg came flying into view, a little dizzy after his sudden awakening. "Where's Tikki?" The god of destruction rasped out, looking frantically around the room for her, "I can't sense her, Master Fu, I can't sense her!" His electric green eyes turned glassy, the feeling of despair was clear on his face.

"Tikki must be with her holder. I'm sure they're both fine," Master Fu tried to calm him down, but Plagg shook his head, letting out a whine of protest. "I've been there the whole time, Master Fu! I didn't rest fully because something dragged me back to Adrien's ring, and when he woke up, a part of me did, too," Plagg began to explain, "I know he has Marinette, but he took her earrings, and now I can't sense Tikki!"

The commotion caused by Plagg alerted the others, who arrived quickly to see what was going on. Pollen was the first to step in, and slowly, she started to flap her wings. A wave of anger filled the black little god, who raised his paw, creating a black orb. That was the cataclysm in its purest form.

"Don't you fucking dare to play that old trick on me, Pollen," Plagg threatened, and Wayzz intervened in, "You two need to calm down and control yourselves! We're not helping Ladybug fighting against each other."

The orb on Plagg's paw disappeared, and Pollen returned to Chloe's side. Master Fu, who has been a mere witness, cleared his throat, gaining Plagg's attention, "You have a special connection with your holder, Plagg, do you know what he wants?"

"He wants to protect his family. Marinette and his kitten brought him back.-"

"Wait a fucking minute, did you say kitten? Is Marinette… Oh my God!" Alya cut him off, and Plagg sent her a nasty look, "As I was saying, he wants his family. But something darker wants revenge on Gabriel for being Hawkmoth. I'm not sure what feeling is stronger."

"Wait, how do you know that she's pregnant?" Alya, still in shook, asked, and Plagg grunted. "I'm a cat. I know things, and I have a legendary sense of smell. Trixx, shut your girl up, will ya?" The little fox rolled her eyes while Wayzz shook his head disapprovingly.

"Plagg," Master Fu tried again, "we're trying to help you, please, be more cooperative." The black cat lowered his eyes and breathed out, "I'm scared for my Tikki and her girl. Adrien would never hurt them, but this monster is soulless. Yes, he will protect them, but at what cost?"

Master Fu nodded, and turned to Wayzzz, "Take him to rest. He needs to recover his strength."

"But Master Fu.-" Plagg wanted to protest , but Master Fu shook his head. "Not now, Plagg. If you want to help Tikki, you're going to do what I tell you. No but's or questions."

Plagg reluctantly accepted. "I can't lose her again." He whispered, seeming more fragile that anyone had ever seen him.

"We'll make sure to protect her, Plagg. She, Marinette and the baby are going to be safe. But you need to trust me."

"What about Adrien?"

When Master Fu didn't answer, Plagg understood.

There's no salvation for the damned.

Ooooo

The first thing Marinette noticed when she woke up was that her wrist had been released. The second thing, was the comforting smell of fresh baked eggs and croissants.

She raised herself up on her elbows, and look around the room, finding herself alone at the moment. Then, everything came like a wave, flooding her head. She covered her mouth, afraid of letting out a sob. She was pregnant, and that could've been the best day of her life if only her greatest love hadn't returned in the form of a monster. Her hands moved instinctively to her still flat stomach, and she couldn't help but smile. A little life was growing inside of her, and she would do her damn best to protect it.

"You're awake, Princess," Chat's deep voice startled her. She looked at the door, and found him standing against the doorframe, with a grin on his face. "You must be hungry. I made you breakfast," he moved closer and sat near her on the bed. Marinette politely declined, shaking her head. Chat frowned, but didn't say a thing.

Marinette observed him, and a veil of sadness covered her features. It was a hard concept to grasp that less than 24 hours ago, she was mourning him.

"She's dead," Chat said out of nowhere, and her eyes widened in fear of what he meant. "My mom, she's dead," Chat clarified after seeing her shocked face. "I don't understand. The old man said she had died, but Gabriel never told me anything. As far as I still know, she left us and never came back." The hardened expression on the man softened a bit, and Marinette reached out to caress the side of his face. It was impossible not to care about him, not to love him like the first time, even knowing that her lover hadn't returned fully.

"I'm so sorry, Chaton," she whispered softly, and Chat leaned into her touch. Her fingers brushed over the side of his mask where it seemed to be cracking up. "Is this normal?" She asked with genuine curiosity, and he only shrugged. "I guess so. But don't you worry, Princess, nothing will happen to you or our kitten. I'll make sure of it."

His words sent an unpleasant feeling through her body, and Marinette retired her hand from his face. Chat didn't comment on her movement, only leaned down and placed a soft kiss against her belly. "I'll be back soon, My Lady."

"Where are you going ?"

"It's better if you don't know, Marinette."

"Chat, wait, where are my earrings? Where's Tikki?"

"She's fine, Marinette."

Chat Blanc turned to the door, and opened it, but then he stopped. He looked over his shoulder and said, "When all of this is over, Princess, I hope that you find forgiveness in your heart for me."


End file.
